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We are entering the home-stretch of the 2012 General Assembly with the attendant rush of bills as legislators feel the urgency of the dwindling days. The Senate had a very full week with legislation, committee meetings, and we received the budget proposal from the House as well as the state's road plan. Visits from groups ranging from home-schoolers to the AARP to 4H also came to the capitol to see their legislator and press for their causes.

Most legislation that the General Assembly passes each year falls in one of two categories: It either protects, or it promotes.

That was especially evident this past week in the Kentucky House of Representatives, which voted for bills that range from further limiting abuse of our youngest and oldest citizens to helping more students in the coalfields of Eastern Kentucky get their four-year college degree.

For the last several years, the biggest challenge facing the General Assembly and Governor Steve Beshear has been keeping the state on track as it weathers the toughest worldwide recession in more than 70 years.

I believe there is a lot of injustice going on here in Marion County. The injustice I'm speaking about pertains to the way that many employers are treating their employees in our work force. It's past and long overdue for someone to speak out about these types of issues.
Employees deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, fairness and non-discrimination practices. They need to be treated like people instead of animals or robots. Employees need to be listened to, whenever they have a legitimate complaint.

You probably won't be surprised to hear that the Kentucky Young Democrats talked politics over the weekend during their convention in Lebanon.

But some people might be surprised that the Democratic Party is essentially conceding Kentucky as a lost cause already in the 2012 Presidential race. Even Keidra King, a field representative for Barack Obama's re-election campaign, said as much when she stopped by the convention on Saturday.

That doesn't mean the Democrats are sitting out the 2012 election, however.

After a pause for President's Day, the legislature moved into the second half of the 2012 General Assembly Session. I had visits from groups representing adult day health care providers and developmental disabilities. Many Boy Scout troops came to Frankfort for the annual Boy Scout Day at the Capitol. It was a pleasure to see these civic-minded boys and young men and their dedicated troop leaders and parents.

We have reached the half way mark of the 2012 session and I believe the House of Representatives has much to show for our 30 days in Frankfort.
Since Jan. 3, we have been hard at work moving legislation through the committee process, working on budget issues within our subcommittees and meeting with constituents and stakeholders on issues of importance to Kentuckians.